Fire blankets capable of protecting a user from fire-related injuries are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,956,218 of Haining describes a fire protection blanket comprised of a flexible, layered blanket having two layers of a fire-resistant material sandwiched between an insulating layer and including straps arranged in a tic-tac-toe pattern to provide a plurality of grasping loops for holding the blanket over the user. Other examples of fire blankets for protecting a victim from a fire may be found in the prior art. Such blankets are generally not designed for carrying or otherwise supporting a victim, but merely as a protective covering held by the victim.
The present inventor has identified a need for a fire-resistant rescue blanket with handles and/or drag straps for carrying or dragging a person laying in the fire-resistant rescue blanket during extrication operations. Additionally, the present inventor has identified a need for such a rescue blanket capable of serving as an extraction platform and protecting a person from metal, glass, or other potentially harmful debris during extrication operations. The present inventors have also identified a need for such a fire-resistant rescue blanket made of lightweight and flexible material to simplify storage and increase portability.
Additional aspects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.